Apparatus for de-shelling hard-cooked eggs

ABSTRACT

A hard-cooked egg deshelling mechanism including a shell cracking means, as a tumbling barrel arrangement, or compressor belt structure, and cracked shell removing means in the form of a pair of rotating resilient rolls along which the cracked eggs are advanced by a belt.

United States Patent John C. Whitman Port Byron, N.Y. 715,684

Mar. 25, 1968 Jan. 5, 1971 Agway Inc. I. Syracuse, N.Y.

a corporation of Delaware Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee APPARATUS FOR DE-SHELLING HARD-COOKED EGGS 3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl. 146/2 Int. Cl. A47g 19/28 Field ofSearch 146/2, 2.4,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,575,608 1 l/ 1951 Williams, Sr. 146/2(.6)

3,216,828 11/1965 Koonz et al l46/2(.6)UX

2,529,286 11/1950 Fraser I l46/49X 2,535,980 12/1950 Yeamans... 146/2(.6)

2,608,716 9/1952 Harris 17/74X 2,640,210 6/1953 Zauner 146/50X Primary Examiner-Willie G. Abercrombie Attorney-D. Emmett Thompson ABSTRACT: A hard-cooked egg deshelling mechanism including a shell cracking means, as a tumbling barrel arrangement, or compressor belt structure, and cracked shell removing means in the form of a pair of rotating resilient rolls along which the cracked eggs are advanced by a belt.

PA'TENTED JAN 5 l9?! SHEET 1 BF 2 IVENTOR. JOHN c. WHITMAN.

ATTORNEY.

PATENTEUJAN SIBTI VSHEETBUFZV INVENTOR. JOHN C. WHITMAN.

ATTORNEY.

. 1 APPARATUS FOR DE-SI-IELLING HARD-COOKED EGGS BACKGROUND OF. THEJINVENTION" A number of precooked and packaged egg'products are now sold in substantial volume. Many of such products are made from eggs cooked hard in the shell. The removal of shells from the hard-cooked eggs by hand is a tedious and time consuming job, constituting a substantial partof the cost of producing the final egg product.

BRIEF SUMMARYOF THE INVENTION This invention has as an object, apparatus for automatically removing the shells from hard-cooked eggs, and embodies a novel structural arrangement, leaving the eggmeat substantially unbroken and in' its original shape. The'apparatus has high volume output.

The inventiomconsists of means forcracking the shells of hard-cooked eggs over substantially the entire surface of the eggs and simultaneously loosening the shell membrane from the white of the egg. This portion of the apparatus may take the form of an inclined tumbling'barrel:structure. While the eggs are passing through the tumbling barrel, the tumbling of the eggs results in the cracking'of the shells in relatively small pieces. The shells may alsobe cracked by rolling the eggs under compression between elongated members. Oneof such members may be of rigid form having a concave surface extending lengthwise thereof. The other member may be a belt which serves tov roll the eggs along the concave surface and simultaneously apply sufficient pressureon the. eggs to effect the cracking of the shells. I

When the shells have been cracked, the cracked eggs are transferred to a shell removing mechanism. This mechanism consists of a pair of rolls havingresilient coverings, the rolls extending in parallel proximity to support the eggs and rotated in opposite directions The eggs are advanced along the rolls by a continuously running belt adjusted to maintain the eggs in frictional engagement with the rolls, which function to remove the pieces of cracked shellsfrom the egg. Preferably, awater spray is employed to flush .the pieces of shells from the rolls, which function vto remove the pieces of cracked shells from the egg. Preferably, a water spray is'employed to flush the pieces of shells from therolls. e

BRIEF DEse'R'iP'rioN OFIDRAWIN'GSA.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION InFIG. I, a tubularmemberlo is rotatably supported on a pair of rolls ll fixed toa shafi lZjournaled in a frame 13. There are a similar pair of rolls. mounted ona shaft-15. The frame 13 is pivdtally mounted atone endto 'a base 16. The up posite end of the frame issupportedby screw/$217 which may be adjusted to vary the inclination of thecylinderslo.

The tubular memberilflis provided with circumferentially extendingspaced apart flanges l8 coopexable with-therolls It, 1.4,to restrain the tubular member against axial move ment. k'otation is impartedtothe. shaftl} through a belt 19 Partition members 23 are detachably mounted in the tube 10. The members 23 are in the form of discs having 'slots extending inwardly from their peripheries for admission of the extending ends of the flanges 21, the members 23 abutting against the flanges 20. The members 23 are detachably retained in the tube, as by screws 25. threading through the sidewall of the tube and arranged to engage and hold the partition members 23 seated against the flanges 20 of the rib members. This arrangement pennits ready and convenient removal of the discs 23 for cleaning and sterilizing the discs and the cylinder 10.

'Each partition disc 23 is formed with an opening or cutout 30 dimensioned to permit the free I passage of an egg therethrough. The members 23 are formed on their downstream side with flanges 33 bent outwardly from the disc 23 at one side of the opening 30, the. trailing outwardly bent flanges 33 facilitating the entry of the eggs into the openings 30.

.In operation, the hard-cooked eggs are disposed intoupper end portion 35 of the tumbling tube, the eggs successively passing through the opening 30 of the upper disc into the main portion of the tube and, upon rotation of the tube, the eggs are tumbled to effect cracking of the shells into small pieces. The eggs, with the shells cracked, pass through the opening 30 in the lower disc 23 for discharge to the shell removing mechanism.

The discs 23, with openings 30, serve to control the passage of eggs into and out of-the tumbling tube 10 and accordingly, control the number of eggs being tumbled in the cylinder. The extent of shell cracking the eggs sustain is varied by the speed at which the cylinder revolves, the inclination of the cylinder and the number of partition discsemployed. By varying these features, the shell cracking can-be quite closely controlled.

In FIG. 3, a modified form of shellcracking mechanism is disclosed. In this arrangement, the hard-cooked eggs are rolled along a path between two members, the eggs being under compression. In this FIG., an elongated member 40 formed of rigid material is suspended by rods from cross members 43. The upper ends of the rods 41 are threaded to receive nuts 45, whereby the member 40 may be adjusted vertically to accommodate eggs of different size. The cross members 43 are supported by posts 47 extendingupwardly from the side edged of a channel member- 48 which, in tum',.is supported by side rails 49 extending upwardly from a base plate 50.

A shaft 51 is joumaled in like ends of .thesiderail's49, and a shaft 53 is journaled in theopposite ends of theside rails. The shaft 51 is rotated by a belt 55 operatively connected to a prime mover and trained over a pulley-56securecl to the shaft 51. Fixed to the shaft 51, intermediate the siderails 49, is abelt pulley 57. A secondbelt pulley=5 8: is mounted on the shaft-53. An endless belt 60 is trainedfover the pulley .57, .58, with the upper run of the belt extending beneath the elongated member 40 which is formedwith a lconcaveunder, surface 6l. The spacing between the n1ember40-and the upper run of the belt 60 is such asto impart a rolling action'to. the eggs-: and simultaneously effect compression of the eggs between the 'member 40 and theupper run. of thebelt. As the eggsare rolled along the member), the shells are cracked.

complete cracking of the shells overthe entiresurface of the egg, the upper run of the belt;60 is'supported .by rails 69along which the edge margins-of the belt .move. The belt 60'is formed of flexible material, whereby-the medial portion of the belt assumes a concave configurationwhieh, in conjunction with the concaveconfiguration of themeniber A0, results in the eggs being cracked throughout their surface by the member40 and the belt 60. Theupperrunlof thebeltis moved to the right, FIG. ,3, asindicated.by-thearrowJOL An egg, .with the shell cracked, .is indicated-at 71 ready fordischarge -'into the chute 72. I i

The cracked eggs are discharged into the chute 72 and directed to the shell removing mechanism .which consistsof a pair of rolls73, 75. These rolls .are 'journaled at their ends. in

Due to the concave surfacefil of-the-mernber .40, the end cross members 77 extending between uprights 78 which are attached to a base structure 79. The rolls 73, 75, are each provided on their peripheries with resilient material 80. The rolls 73, 75, are rotated by a belt from a prime mover trained on pulley 82 fixed to shaft 81 on which roll 75 is mounted. Rotation in the opposite direction is imparted to roll 73 by gearing 83.

The eggs are advanced along the rolls 73, 75, by the lower run 85 of an endless belt trained over rolls 86, 87, joumaled between the uprights 78. A tension roll 90 is journaled in a bracket 91, the roll 90 engaging the upper surface of the lower run 85 of the belt. The bracket is adjusted to vary the tension on the belt by screw 93.

The eggs, with the shells cracked and effectively loosened by the shell cracking mechanism, are advanced along the rolls 73, 75, while they are rotating, and the lower run 85 of the belt is adjusted to press the eggs lightly against the roll. The rotation of the rolls, in conjunction with the frictional properties of the resilient roll coverings 80, effectively strip the pieces of shell and the shell membrane from the egg meat. This action is improved by jets of water sprayed on the egg from pipes 95.

I claim:

l. Mechanism for removing the shells from hard-cooked eggs comprising a shell cracking means operable to advance a procession of hard-cooked eggs in the shell and simultaneously cracking the shells in small pieces and loosening the shell membrane from the egg white, and shell removing means operable during advancement of the cracked eggs to remove the pieces of cracked shell therefrom, said shell cracking means including an elongated fixed member having an under concave surface, a belt positioned in downwardly spaced relation to said surface and being movable lengthwise thereof, said belt being spaced from said concave surface to press the eggs thereagainst in shell cracking engagement therewith, while being rolled therealong by said belt.

2. Mechanism for removing the shells from hard-cooked eggs comprising a shell cracking means operable to advance a procession of hard-cooked eggs in the shell and simultaneously cracking the shells in small pieces and loosening the shell membrane from the egg white, shell removing means for removing the cracked shells from the eggs, said shell removing means including a pair of rolls having peripheral resilient surfaces, said rolls extending in closely spaced parallel relation and rotated about their axes in opposite directions, an endless belt having a lower run extending lengthwise of the rolls, said lower run being positioned above the rolls and operable to press the cracked eggs lightly against said rolls while advancing the eggs therealong, and means for directing fluid under pressure against opposite sides of the eggs while being advanced along said rolls.

3. An egg deshelling mechanism as set forth in claim I wherein said shell cracking means includes an elongated fixed member having an under concave surface, an endless flexible belt having a run spaced downwardly from said concave surface and being movable in a direction lengthwise thereof, a rigid belt supporting member extending lengthwise of said run at opposite sides of the belt and serving to support the marginal side portions of said run, the central area of said belt run being unsupported and spaced from said concave surface to press the eggs thereagainst in shell cracking engagement therewith while being rolled therealong by said belt. 

1. Mechanism for removing the shells from hard-cooked eggs comprising a shell cracking means operable to advance a procession of hard-cooked eggs in the shell and simultaneously cracking the shells in small pieces and loosening the shell membrane from the egg white, and shell removing means operable during advancement of the cracked eggs to remove the pieces of cracked shell therefrom, said shell cracking means including an elongated fixed member having an under concave surface, a belt positioned in downwardly spaced relation to said surface and being movable lengthwise thereof, said belt being spaced from said concave surface to press the eggs thereagainst in shell cracking engagement therewith, while being rolled therealong by said belt.
 2. Mechanism for removing the shells from hard-cooked eggs comprising a shell cracking means operable to advance a procession of hard-cooked eggs in the shell and simultaneously cracking the shells in small pieces and loosening the shell membrane from the egg white, shell removing means for removing the cracked shells from the eggs, said shell removing means including a pair of rolls having peripheral resilient surfaces, said rolls extending in closely spaced parallel relation and rotated about their axes in opposite directions, an endless belt having a lower run extending lengthwise of the rolls, said lower run being positioned above the rolls and operable to press the cracked eggs lightly against said rolls while advancing the eggs therealong, and means for directing fluid under pressure against opposite sides of the eggs while being advanced along said rolls.
 3. An egg deshelling mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said shell cracking means includes an elongated fixed member having an under concave surface, an endless flexibLe belt having a run spaced downwardly from said concave surface and being movable in a direction lengthwise thereof, a rigid belt supporting member extending lengthwise of said run at opposite sides of the belt and serving to support the marginal side portions of said run, the central area of said belt run being unsupported and spaced from said concave surface to press the eggs thereagainst in shell cracking engagement therewith while being rolled therealong by said belt. 